Press-Ganged (4/7) (Spuffy AU)
Mar. 9th, 2007 07:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fandomcornerTitle: Press-Ganged
Author: Hils
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Buffy/Spike (so far)
Disclaimer: Everything I have borrowed from Joss.
Summary: London, 1800. William finds himself in the last place he expects. The Royal Navy.
Dedications: Many thanks to Dave, my editor, and Flick, my technical advisor
Elizabeth dreamed of a soft, warm bed and being rocked gently by her mother. She felt safe and comforted and she didn’t want to wake up. A small voice at the back of her mind, however, was calling her and urging her to open her eyes. She resisted, screwing them tightly shut and willing the voice to go away.
The voices only became clearer.
“Miss Elizabeth! Wake up!”
“Maybe she’s dead.”
“She is not dead! She’s breathing, look.”
Elizabeth felt someone shake her and let out a soft groan as her head began to throb.
“We could try dunking her in the sea.”
Sea? Elizabeth opened her eyes, noticing almost at once that the rocking sensation from her dream hadn’t stopped. Willow was looking down at her, and next to her was a woman that Elizabeth didn’t recognise.
“Are you alright?” Willow asked as she helped Elizabeth into a sitting position.
“Yes, I think so,” Elizabeth replied, frowning as she noticed a deep purple bruise on Willow’s jaw. “What happened?”
“Those men from the inn kidnapped us. We’re on board a ship now, but I’m not sure where we’re going.”
It took a moment for Elizabeth to process what she was hearing. “A ship?”
“The Invincible,” the other woman replied. “A former ship of the Royal Navy, now in the hands of … less reputable people.”
Willow and Elizabeth exchanged glances, neither of them understanding what the woman was talking about.
“Pirates,” she explained, acknowledging their blank looks.
Elizabeth looked afraid for a moment before her face filled with rage. “This is absolutely unacceptable! I will not be held prisoner by a bunch of thieves, rapists and lord knows what else. You…”
She trailed off and gestured with her hands, indicating that she didn’t know the woman’s name.
“Anya.” She supplied.
Elizabeth nodded. “Anya. You will take me to the Captain immediately and I will insist that we be returned home at once.”
“I could do that,” Anya replied cautiously, “but the Captain would kill you if one of the crew didn’t get to you first.”
Elizabeth stamped her foot with impatience. “So I’m just to sit around and wait for him to sell us off as slaves?”
Anya raised one eyebrow. “Not exactly. We’re not going to be sold as slaves.”
Elizabeth’s face brightened at this news.
“We’re the ships whores.”
* * *
“I can’t kill him.”
William plopped down in a seat beside Xander and buried his face in his hands. He was tired, not having had a proper nights sleep since Finn had attacked him. He was half expecting it to happen again, even though Xander had assured him that Finn never did the same person more than once.
“You want him to get away with this?” Xander asked with disbelief. “You want him to do this to someone else?”
“No, of course not,” William replied, “but surely if the Captain was informed then perhaps…“
“Nobody gets to see the Captain except through Finn,” Xander interrupted. “You don’t have any choice, Will.”
“Even if I had no qualms about taking a human life, Finn is twice the size of me. How am I ever supposed to beat him?”
William’s eyes widened with horror as Xander pulled out a hefty, sheathed dagger and handed it to him discreetly.
“You don’t have to fight him. Just catch him when he’s unprepared. It’s what he did to you, isn’t it?”
William carefully removed the blade from its sheath, noticing how it glinted in the dim light of the cabin. Part of him knew Xander was right. Finn had to be stopped before he attacked anyone else. But this wasn’t just about killing him any more…
…it was about cold-blooded murder.
* * *
Willow and Anya’s eyes followed Elizabeth’s as she paced up and down the cramped space that had been allocated to them. The rest of the whores, about six in total, had decided to stay out of this and sat in one corner whispering amongst themselves.
“There must be some way we can get off this ship,” Elizabeth insisted as she paced.
Anya sighed. This had been going on for over an hour now and Elizabeth clearly wasn’t listening to a word she was saying.
“If there was a way to get off this ship, don’t you think we’d have done it already? Nobody on this ship chose to be a whore, Elizabeth. We don’t have any other choice. We do what we want or they kill us.”
“Better to die than live a life of shame like this,” Elizabeth snapped in response.
Willow let out a small whimper, her face white with fear. “Miss Elizabeth, I don’t want to die. I’m afraid.”
“Haven’t I just explained this? It isn’t dieing that you have to worry about, it’s…”
“We will find a way out of this, I promise,” Elizabeth interrupted, before Anya could scare her friend any further.
Anya snorted. “We all said the same thing when they first came aboard. We all got used to it in the end. It’s not a bad life, really. If you do a good job some of the men even pay a little.”
“You’re not helping!” Elizabeth said as she climbed to her feet and resumed pacing.
Anya sighed. She was starting to get seasick watching Elizabeth moving up and down like this. She wondered what it would take to talk some sense into her.
* * *
The weight of the dagger in William’s pocket felt like a lead weight, pulling him down. He’d tried to go about his duties as normal, but he was certain the other members of the crew knew what he was contemplating.
Occasionally Finn would brush past him, not saying a word and acting like nothing untoward had happened. Once in a while he would catch William’s eye across the deck and smirk at him.
William had hoped that seeing Finn again would perhaps spur him into some sort of action, but all he could feel was the dagger. No rage, no desire for justice, just his own sense of guilt for an act he had not yet committed, and the weight of a potential murder weapon in his pocket.
* * *
“Are you going to do it tonight?” Xander asked, once their evening meal was over and they were alone.
“I’m going to do something,” William replied, “I’m just not sure what yet.”
“Well, don’t wait too long,” Xander answered as he climbed into his bunk. “Finn has probably already picked his next victim.”
As the lights dimmed a thought occurred to William. He lay in his hammock and looked up to where Xander was lying a few feet above his head.
“Xander?”
“Yeah?”
“Did Finn … did he do this to you too?”
Silence.
For a moment William wondered if Xander was already asleep. Then a voice replied, so soft that William could barely hear it. “I hadn’t even been on the ship a whole day.”
William heard Xander shift in his hammock, an indication that he had nothing further to say on the matter.
“I’m sorry.” William whispered. “I’ll put this right, I swear.”
* * *
Elizabeth stopped pacing when she heard the door to their quarters being opened. A tall, stocky man thudded into the room, his eyes Sliding over the girls until they fixed on her.
“You,” he grunted, “it’s your turn tonight.”
Elizabeth’s mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find words, but none would come.
“Who’s she got?” Anya asked, seeing Elizabeth’s obvious struggle for even one coherent sentence.
“Owen,” the man replied, his eyes fixing on Anya’s bosom as he spoke to her. “What about you? Fancy one tonight?”
Anya shrugged. “Sure. Doesn’t look like I’ll be getting a better offer.”
“Usual time?”
“I’ll be there.”
He shot her a quick wink before turning and leaving. Once he was gone, Anya grinned at Elizabeth. “He’s not exactly great in bed but he always slips me a coin or two afterwards.”
Elizabeth continued to stare blankly ahead, her eyes still wide with horror as the reality of her situation came crashing down around her.
“I’m really going to have to do this, aren’t I?”
Anya patted her shoulder awkwardly. “You’ll be fine. Owen has only been on board for a few days. He’s probably still a virgin so he won’t care how bad you are.”
Elizabeth burst into tears.
* * *
The mid-afternoon sun beat down on William’s head as he undertook his afternoon duties. He could feel the sweat flowing from every pore and the weight of the dagger seemed to only make his tasks more difficult.
Finn stood on the other side of the deck, his eyes travelling over the men hard at work. Occasionally they would linger on Michael, a young lad who had been brought on board a few days before William. He hadn’t spoken a word since he’d arrived, despite coaxing from some of the more amiable members of the crew.
As William watched Finn watching Michael he suddenly realised he had to do something now. Xander had been right, Finn was never going to stop until somebody made him stop.
His feet started moving before he even realised it, taking deep and purposeful strides until he was standing in front of Finn.
“Get back to work,” Finn said, sounding almost bored.
William shook his head.
“Get back to work before I beat some sense into that thick head of yours.”
William shook his head again. But this time everyone had stopped what they were doing and were watching William and Finn’s interaction with interest.
The next words to come from William’s lips were clear and loud, and were as much of a surprise to him as they were to Finn and the rest of the crew.
“I challenge you to a duel.”
* * *
For once Elizabeth was glad there was no mirror present. She couldn’t bear to think about what she looked like now that Anya was done with her.
She was dressed in a plain white smock, Anya insisting it would make things easier and avoid any of the awkwardness that came from fumbling with layers of clothing. She’d also removed all the pins from her hair, so that it now fell in loose curls around her shoulders.
Anya had wanted to paint Elizabeth’s lips red and put rouge on her cheeks, but Elizabeth had refused, just as she had refused to wear the corset that Anya had wanted to lend her. What she was about to do was bad enough, without having to look the part
“You look good,” Anya beamed proudly. “Well, as good as I can make you look anyway. Are you sure you don’t want just a little bit of rouge?”
Elizabeth shook her head.
Anya shrugged, making the final adjustments to Elizabeth’s hair and dress before disappearing. Elizabeth sank to the ground, burying her face in her hand and using every ounce of strength she had to stop herself from crying. How had she gotten herself into this situation? All she’d wanted was to find the man that she loved, and now she was being forced to give her body to another.
“Maybe they were right,” she whispered to herself. “Maybe he just didn’t want to marry me.”
She choked back a sob at the thought but before it could develop to full tears the door opened and the man who had been in earlier stepped inside. Elizabeth felt her heart sink. Part of her had been clinging to the hope that something would happen to stop her having to go through with this.
He gestured to the door with his head and Elizabeth suddenly realised she couldn’t move. She was so scared that her legs had literally frozen. Anya hurried over and helped her to her feet, allowing Elizabeth to lean on her as they walked to the door.
“You’ll be fine,” she whispered as they reached the darkness of the doorway. “It’s his first time too so it will be over quickly.”
Elizabeth nodded numbly, pulling away from Anya and somehow managing to walk on her own. She followed the man down the almost black corridor until they reached another small door.
“In,” he growled, pushing the door open and stepping aside.
Elizabeth knew she’d be pushed if she didn’t go willingly and gingerly stepped into the room, flinching as the door banged shut behind her.
The room was dimly lit by a small lantern and it took a moment for Elizabeth’s eyes to adjust. What she did see made her almost retch.
The entire floor was covered with hay, making it look and smell a little like a stable. In the middle was a wooden pallet covered with a few coarse-looking blankets. This, apparently, was the bed. A smell assaulted her nostrils that she struggled to identify…it was obvious from looking at the place that it wasn’t cleaned very often.
Trying her best not to inhale the foul smell, she sat down on the pallet and wondered what she was supposed to do next. She could feel the wood digging into her through the blankets and shifted uncomfortably.
At that moment, however, the door opened and a young boy of about sixteen stepped nervously inside. He had golden hair and for a split second he looked almost like William. When his eyes landed on her he jumped, and for a moment he looked like he was going to turn and bolt.
He’s as scared as I am, Elizabeth realised and that made her feel better, if only a little.
“H-hello.” Owen stammered.
Elizabeth gave him a small smile. “Hello.”
It was strange, but the sight of this young, frightened boy left Elizabeth with the odd sensation that she should take care of him and make this as easy as possible.
“Would you like to sit down?” She asked, not forgetting her manners even in this situation.
Owen looked at the pallet for a second and then at Elizabeth before nodding his head slightly. She shifted over so that there was room beside her and Owen carefully took a seat.
They sat there in silence for a few moments as Elizabeth tried to work out what to do next. Anya had given her plenty of hints and tips but they all seemed to have flown from her mind now that she was actually here. Looking at Owen, however, Elizabeth realised she was going to have to take control of this situation.
“Do you want to kiss me?”
She’d always believed a kiss to be a sign of love, and Anya had told her she wouldn’t have to kiss any of the men unless she wanted to, but she had a feeling a kiss would help him at least relax a little.
Sure enough he leaned over and gently placed his lips upon hers. Elizabeth responded in the way Anya had instructed her. She opened her mouth a little and coaxed Owen’s open with her tongue. He responded instinctively, allowing her access and massaging her tongue with his own. One hand reached up to grasp her breast and Elizabeth allowed him to do so.
Her eyes closed, Elizabeth imagined that she was not being intimate with a young pirate, but with William. It was their wedding night and they were about to consummate their marriage by making love for the first time.
As the kisses grew deeper and more intense Elizabeth lay back, pulling him with her and imagining that instead of a wooden pallet they were lying on a soft, warm comfortable bed with silk sheets.
She felt him lift her skirt and assisted, pulling it up around her waist. At Anya’s instruction she hadn’t worn anything beneath her dress and as she parted her legs for him she felt cool air on the part of her that had never been exposed except to bathe. It was a strange feeling but not altogether unpleasant.
She felt Owen tremble on top of her but whether this was through nerves or excitement she couldn’t be sure.
The tip of his manhood rubbed against the inside of her thigh, hard and warm. Apparently he wasn’t sure where he was supposed to put it. She wouldn’t have known either but for the tingling sensation between her legs. She shifted her body slightly so that he was pointing in the right direction and gave a small nod.
He pushed into her hard and pain cut into her as she felt a warm stickiness trickle down her leg. She couldn’t help but give a small, muffled cry.
“Are you alright?” Owen asked with concern, apparently terrified he’d done something wrong.
Elizabeth nodded as the pain began to fade.
“Slowly” she whispered and he nodded.
She felt him move within her and a feeling of pleasure began to flow through her whole body, warming her and bringing an involuntary smile to her face. Owen thrust once, twice, and then let out a grunt and collapsed on top of her as she felt his semen fill her.
“Thank you.” Owen whispered when he had recovered his breath a little.
Elizabeth just lay there, her mind numb as she tried to process what had just happened. She felt different. And not in an entirely bad way. In fact, aside from the pain and the fact that she had just given herself to a man she didn’t know, she’d quite enjoyed the experience.
She felt Owen climb off her and a moment later she heard the door open and close.
She lay there with a small smile on her face until the man who had brought her there came to collect her.
* * *
The crowd was still watching William and Finn with interest as the Petty Officer tried to process what he’d just heard. William noticed, looking at them, that there were no other officers present. A little strange, but also fortunate. What he was doing could be considered a hanging offence.
“A duel?” Finn finally snorted. “We’re not part of your nancy social circles? now, boy. You’re in the Royal Navy.”
William shrugged. “I see. You’re not man enough to defend your honour. Or perhaps you are afraid I’ll beat you.”
A snicker came from one of the crowd and that gave William’s confidence a small boost. He had no idea where these words were coming from. They were just flowing from his lips before his brain could even engage.
Finn’s face flushed red with rage. “Don’t you dare question my honour, lad. Somebody fetch us two swords.”
A few moments later William had a blade in his hand, heavier than he was used to wielding but not so much that he wouldn’t be able to use it. He was a skilled fencer but had never imagined he’d have to put his abilities to the test like this.
Finn raised his sword and William did the same.
“En Garde.”
Finn struck first,but William managed to parry the thrust aside. As he’d suspected Finn struck hard, but he was slow, which would work to William’s advantage. He stepped nimbly to one side and struck back, his blade slashing Finn’s arm and drawing blood.
Finn looked at the wound and then back at William. There was a rage in his eyes so intense that for a moment William was actually afraid.
“I’m gonna make you wish your bitch of a mother had never given birth to you.”
He slashed back, and again William managed to dodge the blow.
Almost.
Pain flared above his left eye and he felt blood trickle down his face.
“We’re square now.” Finn grinned as William wiped the blood from his face. “Now c’mon pretty boy, give me everything you’ve got.”
William scanned the crowd and managed to catch Xander’s eye. His friend smiled and there was a look of hope and complete trust in his eyes. He knew William was going to win.
William turned back to Finn and raised his sword. He attacked with a flurry of moves so fast that it was all Finn could do to block them. He was being driven back so quickly that he eventually stumbled over his own feet and went crashing to the ground.
William pressed the tip of his sword against Finn’s throat.
“Do you yield?”
Finn said nothing, merely glaring at William.
“Do you yield?” William repeated more firmly.
Finn looked up to see more or less the whole crew staring at him. There was no coming back from this. They had all seen him beaten, and by a puny scrap of a lad of all people. He looked back at William and nodded, unable to actually say the words.
Satisfied, William lowered his blade and offered a hand to Finn.
“Don’t need your help.” He growled, climbing to his feet himself.
William turned to the crowd, most of whom still looked surprised at the result of the duel.
“I want you all to know that Petty Officer Finn is no one to be afraid of.”
Finn could only watch, sword in hand as his entire authority was undermined right in front of him by someone who had been utterly terrified of him a few nights earlier.
The grip on his sword tightened and he was lunging at William before he even realised it.
“Will, look out!” Xander called as soon as he saw Finn move.
William reacted instantly, turning and ducking Finn’s blow before thrusting his sword home.
A collective gasp came from the crowd as Finn stared down at the sword that had impaled him.
“Didn’t think you had it in you,” he rasped, blood gurgling from his lips.
“You didn’t give me a choice.”
Finn’s eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the floor.
A moment of stunned silence swept the deck before Xander came and stood beside William over Finn’s dead body. He looked down at the corpse and spat on it.
Another man came and stood beside Xander doing the same thing. Another came, and another, all of them spitting on the man who had abused them.
Finally, when everyone had had their moment of gratification, they picked up the body and tossed it overboard.
“Bastard doesn’t deserve a decent funeral.” One man muttered.
“Amen.” Another added.
Xander wrapped an arm around William’s shoulder, steering him back towards the sleeping quarters.
“I killed him,” William whispered.
“You had no choice,” Xander replied. “Come on, let’s get that wound looked at.”
They were halfway across the deck when a young boy stepped in front of them.
“The Captain wants to see you. Right away.”
Part 5
Author: Hils
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Buffy/Spike (so far)
Disclaimer: Everything I have borrowed from Joss.
Summary: London, 1800. William finds himself in the last place he expects. The Royal Navy.
Dedications: Many thanks to Dave, my editor, and Flick, my technical advisor
Elizabeth dreamed of a soft, warm bed and being rocked gently by her mother. She felt safe and comforted and she didn’t want to wake up. A small voice at the back of her mind, however, was calling her and urging her to open her eyes. She resisted, screwing them tightly shut and willing the voice to go away.
The voices only became clearer.
“Miss Elizabeth! Wake up!”
“Maybe she’s dead.”
“She is not dead! She’s breathing, look.”
Elizabeth felt someone shake her and let out a soft groan as her head began to throb.
“We could try dunking her in the sea.”
Sea? Elizabeth opened her eyes, noticing almost at once that the rocking sensation from her dream hadn’t stopped. Willow was looking down at her, and next to her was a woman that Elizabeth didn’t recognise.
“Are you alright?” Willow asked as she helped Elizabeth into a sitting position.
“Yes, I think so,” Elizabeth replied, frowning as she noticed a deep purple bruise on Willow’s jaw. “What happened?”
“Those men from the inn kidnapped us. We’re on board a ship now, but I’m not sure where we’re going.”
It took a moment for Elizabeth to process what she was hearing. “A ship?”
“The Invincible,” the other woman replied. “A former ship of the Royal Navy, now in the hands of … less reputable people.”
Willow and Elizabeth exchanged glances, neither of them understanding what the woman was talking about.
“Pirates,” she explained, acknowledging their blank looks.
Elizabeth looked afraid for a moment before her face filled with rage. “This is absolutely unacceptable! I will not be held prisoner by a bunch of thieves, rapists and lord knows what else. You…”
She trailed off and gestured with her hands, indicating that she didn’t know the woman’s name.
“Anya.” She supplied.
Elizabeth nodded. “Anya. You will take me to the Captain immediately and I will insist that we be returned home at once.”
“I could do that,” Anya replied cautiously, “but the Captain would kill you if one of the crew didn’t get to you first.”
Elizabeth stamped her foot with impatience. “So I’m just to sit around and wait for him to sell us off as slaves?”
Anya raised one eyebrow. “Not exactly. We’re not going to be sold as slaves.”
Elizabeth’s face brightened at this news.
“We’re the ships whores.”
* * *
“I can’t kill him.”
William plopped down in a seat beside Xander and buried his face in his hands. He was tired, not having had a proper nights sleep since Finn had attacked him. He was half expecting it to happen again, even though Xander had assured him that Finn never did the same person more than once.
“You want him to get away with this?” Xander asked with disbelief. “You want him to do this to someone else?”
“No, of course not,” William replied, “but surely if the Captain was informed then perhaps…“
“Nobody gets to see the Captain except through Finn,” Xander interrupted. “You don’t have any choice, Will.”
“Even if I had no qualms about taking a human life, Finn is twice the size of me. How am I ever supposed to beat him?”
William’s eyes widened with horror as Xander pulled out a hefty, sheathed dagger and handed it to him discreetly.
“You don’t have to fight him. Just catch him when he’s unprepared. It’s what he did to you, isn’t it?”
William carefully removed the blade from its sheath, noticing how it glinted in the dim light of the cabin. Part of him knew Xander was right. Finn had to be stopped before he attacked anyone else. But this wasn’t just about killing him any more…
…it was about cold-blooded murder.
* * *
Willow and Anya’s eyes followed Elizabeth’s as she paced up and down the cramped space that had been allocated to them. The rest of the whores, about six in total, had decided to stay out of this and sat in one corner whispering amongst themselves.
“There must be some way we can get off this ship,” Elizabeth insisted as she paced.
Anya sighed. This had been going on for over an hour now and Elizabeth clearly wasn’t listening to a word she was saying.
“If there was a way to get off this ship, don’t you think we’d have done it already? Nobody on this ship chose to be a whore, Elizabeth. We don’t have any other choice. We do what we want or they kill us.”
“Better to die than live a life of shame like this,” Elizabeth snapped in response.
Willow let out a small whimper, her face white with fear. “Miss Elizabeth, I don’t want to die. I’m afraid.”
“Haven’t I just explained this? It isn’t dieing that you have to worry about, it’s…”
“We will find a way out of this, I promise,” Elizabeth interrupted, before Anya could scare her friend any further.
Anya snorted. “We all said the same thing when they first came aboard. We all got used to it in the end. It’s not a bad life, really. If you do a good job some of the men even pay a little.”
“You’re not helping!” Elizabeth said as she climbed to her feet and resumed pacing.
Anya sighed. She was starting to get seasick watching Elizabeth moving up and down like this. She wondered what it would take to talk some sense into her.
* * *
The weight of the dagger in William’s pocket felt like a lead weight, pulling him down. He’d tried to go about his duties as normal, but he was certain the other members of the crew knew what he was contemplating.
Occasionally Finn would brush past him, not saying a word and acting like nothing untoward had happened. Once in a while he would catch William’s eye across the deck and smirk at him.
William had hoped that seeing Finn again would perhaps spur him into some sort of action, but all he could feel was the dagger. No rage, no desire for justice, just his own sense of guilt for an act he had not yet committed, and the weight of a potential murder weapon in his pocket.
* * *
“Are you going to do it tonight?” Xander asked, once their evening meal was over and they were alone.
“I’m going to do something,” William replied, “I’m just not sure what yet.”
“Well, don’t wait too long,” Xander answered as he climbed into his bunk. “Finn has probably already picked his next victim.”
As the lights dimmed a thought occurred to William. He lay in his hammock and looked up to where Xander was lying a few feet above his head.
“Xander?”
“Yeah?”
“Did Finn … did he do this to you too?”
Silence.
For a moment William wondered if Xander was already asleep. Then a voice replied, so soft that William could barely hear it. “I hadn’t even been on the ship a whole day.”
William heard Xander shift in his hammock, an indication that he had nothing further to say on the matter.
“I’m sorry.” William whispered. “I’ll put this right, I swear.”
* * *
Elizabeth stopped pacing when she heard the door to their quarters being opened. A tall, stocky man thudded into the room, his eyes Sliding over the girls until they fixed on her.
“You,” he grunted, “it’s your turn tonight.”
Elizabeth’s mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find words, but none would come.
“Who’s she got?” Anya asked, seeing Elizabeth’s obvious struggle for even one coherent sentence.
“Owen,” the man replied, his eyes fixing on Anya’s bosom as he spoke to her. “What about you? Fancy one tonight?”
Anya shrugged. “Sure. Doesn’t look like I’ll be getting a better offer.”
“Usual time?”
“I’ll be there.”
He shot her a quick wink before turning and leaving. Once he was gone, Anya grinned at Elizabeth. “He’s not exactly great in bed but he always slips me a coin or two afterwards.”
Elizabeth continued to stare blankly ahead, her eyes still wide with horror as the reality of her situation came crashing down around her.
“I’m really going to have to do this, aren’t I?”
Anya patted her shoulder awkwardly. “You’ll be fine. Owen has only been on board for a few days. He’s probably still a virgin so he won’t care how bad you are.”
Elizabeth burst into tears.
* * *
The mid-afternoon sun beat down on William’s head as he undertook his afternoon duties. He could feel the sweat flowing from every pore and the weight of the dagger seemed to only make his tasks more difficult.
Finn stood on the other side of the deck, his eyes travelling over the men hard at work. Occasionally they would linger on Michael, a young lad who had been brought on board a few days before William. He hadn’t spoken a word since he’d arrived, despite coaxing from some of the more amiable members of the crew.
As William watched Finn watching Michael he suddenly realised he had to do something now. Xander had been right, Finn was never going to stop until somebody made him stop.
His feet started moving before he even realised it, taking deep and purposeful strides until he was standing in front of Finn.
“Get back to work,” Finn said, sounding almost bored.
William shook his head.
“Get back to work before I beat some sense into that thick head of yours.”
William shook his head again. But this time everyone had stopped what they were doing and were watching William and Finn’s interaction with interest.
The next words to come from William’s lips were clear and loud, and were as much of a surprise to him as they were to Finn and the rest of the crew.
“I challenge you to a duel.”
* * *
For once Elizabeth was glad there was no mirror present. She couldn’t bear to think about what she looked like now that Anya was done with her.
She was dressed in a plain white smock, Anya insisting it would make things easier and avoid any of the awkwardness that came from fumbling with layers of clothing. She’d also removed all the pins from her hair, so that it now fell in loose curls around her shoulders.
Anya had wanted to paint Elizabeth’s lips red and put rouge on her cheeks, but Elizabeth had refused, just as she had refused to wear the corset that Anya had wanted to lend her. What she was about to do was bad enough, without having to look the part
“You look good,” Anya beamed proudly. “Well, as good as I can make you look anyway. Are you sure you don’t want just a little bit of rouge?”
Elizabeth shook her head.
Anya shrugged, making the final adjustments to Elizabeth’s hair and dress before disappearing. Elizabeth sank to the ground, burying her face in her hand and using every ounce of strength she had to stop herself from crying. How had she gotten herself into this situation? All she’d wanted was to find the man that she loved, and now she was being forced to give her body to another.
“Maybe they were right,” she whispered to herself. “Maybe he just didn’t want to marry me.”
She choked back a sob at the thought but before it could develop to full tears the door opened and the man who had been in earlier stepped inside. Elizabeth felt her heart sink. Part of her had been clinging to the hope that something would happen to stop her having to go through with this.
He gestured to the door with his head and Elizabeth suddenly realised she couldn’t move. She was so scared that her legs had literally frozen. Anya hurried over and helped her to her feet, allowing Elizabeth to lean on her as they walked to the door.
“You’ll be fine,” she whispered as they reached the darkness of the doorway. “It’s his first time too so it will be over quickly.”
Elizabeth nodded numbly, pulling away from Anya and somehow managing to walk on her own. She followed the man down the almost black corridor until they reached another small door.
“In,” he growled, pushing the door open and stepping aside.
Elizabeth knew she’d be pushed if she didn’t go willingly and gingerly stepped into the room, flinching as the door banged shut behind her.
The room was dimly lit by a small lantern and it took a moment for Elizabeth’s eyes to adjust. What she did see made her almost retch.
The entire floor was covered with hay, making it look and smell a little like a stable. In the middle was a wooden pallet covered with a few coarse-looking blankets. This, apparently, was the bed. A smell assaulted her nostrils that she struggled to identify…it was obvious from looking at the place that it wasn’t cleaned very often.
Trying her best not to inhale the foul smell, she sat down on the pallet and wondered what she was supposed to do next. She could feel the wood digging into her through the blankets and shifted uncomfortably.
At that moment, however, the door opened and a young boy of about sixteen stepped nervously inside. He had golden hair and for a split second he looked almost like William. When his eyes landed on her he jumped, and for a moment he looked like he was going to turn and bolt.
He’s as scared as I am, Elizabeth realised and that made her feel better, if only a little.
“H-hello.” Owen stammered.
Elizabeth gave him a small smile. “Hello.”
It was strange, but the sight of this young, frightened boy left Elizabeth with the odd sensation that she should take care of him and make this as easy as possible.
“Would you like to sit down?” She asked, not forgetting her manners even in this situation.
Owen looked at the pallet for a second and then at Elizabeth before nodding his head slightly. She shifted over so that there was room beside her and Owen carefully took a seat.
They sat there in silence for a few moments as Elizabeth tried to work out what to do next. Anya had given her plenty of hints and tips but they all seemed to have flown from her mind now that she was actually here. Looking at Owen, however, Elizabeth realised she was going to have to take control of this situation.
“Do you want to kiss me?”
She’d always believed a kiss to be a sign of love, and Anya had told her she wouldn’t have to kiss any of the men unless she wanted to, but she had a feeling a kiss would help him at least relax a little.
Sure enough he leaned over and gently placed his lips upon hers. Elizabeth responded in the way Anya had instructed her. She opened her mouth a little and coaxed Owen’s open with her tongue. He responded instinctively, allowing her access and massaging her tongue with his own. One hand reached up to grasp her breast and Elizabeth allowed him to do so.
Her eyes closed, Elizabeth imagined that she was not being intimate with a young pirate, but with William. It was their wedding night and they were about to consummate their marriage by making love for the first time.
As the kisses grew deeper and more intense Elizabeth lay back, pulling him with her and imagining that instead of a wooden pallet they were lying on a soft, warm comfortable bed with silk sheets.
She felt him lift her skirt and assisted, pulling it up around her waist. At Anya’s instruction she hadn’t worn anything beneath her dress and as she parted her legs for him she felt cool air on the part of her that had never been exposed except to bathe. It was a strange feeling but not altogether unpleasant.
She felt Owen tremble on top of her but whether this was through nerves or excitement she couldn’t be sure.
The tip of his manhood rubbed against the inside of her thigh, hard and warm. Apparently he wasn’t sure where he was supposed to put it. She wouldn’t have known either but for the tingling sensation between her legs. She shifted her body slightly so that he was pointing in the right direction and gave a small nod.
He pushed into her hard and pain cut into her as she felt a warm stickiness trickle down her leg. She couldn’t help but give a small, muffled cry.
“Are you alright?” Owen asked with concern, apparently terrified he’d done something wrong.
Elizabeth nodded as the pain began to fade.
“Slowly” she whispered and he nodded.
She felt him move within her and a feeling of pleasure began to flow through her whole body, warming her and bringing an involuntary smile to her face. Owen thrust once, twice, and then let out a grunt and collapsed on top of her as she felt his semen fill her.
“Thank you.” Owen whispered when he had recovered his breath a little.
Elizabeth just lay there, her mind numb as she tried to process what had just happened. She felt different. And not in an entirely bad way. In fact, aside from the pain and the fact that she had just given herself to a man she didn’t know, she’d quite enjoyed the experience.
She felt Owen climb off her and a moment later she heard the door open and close.
She lay there with a small smile on her face until the man who had brought her there came to collect her.
* * *
The crowd was still watching William and Finn with interest as the Petty Officer tried to process what he’d just heard. William noticed, looking at them, that there were no other officers present. A little strange, but also fortunate. What he was doing could be considered a hanging offence.
“A duel?” Finn finally snorted. “We’re not part of your nancy social circles? now, boy. You’re in the Royal Navy.”
William shrugged. “I see. You’re not man enough to defend your honour. Or perhaps you are afraid I’ll beat you.”
A snicker came from one of the crowd and that gave William’s confidence a small boost. He had no idea where these words were coming from. They were just flowing from his lips before his brain could even engage.
Finn’s face flushed red with rage. “Don’t you dare question my honour, lad. Somebody fetch us two swords.”
A few moments later William had a blade in his hand, heavier than he was used to wielding but not so much that he wouldn’t be able to use it. He was a skilled fencer but had never imagined he’d have to put his abilities to the test like this.
Finn raised his sword and William did the same.
“En Garde.”
Finn struck first,but William managed to parry the thrust aside. As he’d suspected Finn struck hard, but he was slow, which would work to William’s advantage. He stepped nimbly to one side and struck back, his blade slashing Finn’s arm and drawing blood.
Finn looked at the wound and then back at William. There was a rage in his eyes so intense that for a moment William was actually afraid.
“I’m gonna make you wish your bitch of a mother had never given birth to you.”
He slashed back, and again William managed to dodge the blow.
Almost.
Pain flared above his left eye and he felt blood trickle down his face.
“We’re square now.” Finn grinned as William wiped the blood from his face. “Now c’mon pretty boy, give me everything you’ve got.”
William scanned the crowd and managed to catch Xander’s eye. His friend smiled and there was a look of hope and complete trust in his eyes. He knew William was going to win.
William turned back to Finn and raised his sword. He attacked with a flurry of moves so fast that it was all Finn could do to block them. He was being driven back so quickly that he eventually stumbled over his own feet and went crashing to the ground.
William pressed the tip of his sword against Finn’s throat.
“Do you yield?”
Finn said nothing, merely glaring at William.
“Do you yield?” William repeated more firmly.
Finn looked up to see more or less the whole crew staring at him. There was no coming back from this. They had all seen him beaten, and by a puny scrap of a lad of all people. He looked back at William and nodded, unable to actually say the words.
Satisfied, William lowered his blade and offered a hand to Finn.
“Don’t need your help.” He growled, climbing to his feet himself.
William turned to the crowd, most of whom still looked surprised at the result of the duel.
“I want you all to know that Petty Officer Finn is no one to be afraid of.”
Finn could only watch, sword in hand as his entire authority was undermined right in front of him by someone who had been utterly terrified of him a few nights earlier.
The grip on his sword tightened and he was lunging at William before he even realised it.
“Will, look out!” Xander called as soon as he saw Finn move.
William reacted instantly, turning and ducking Finn’s blow before thrusting his sword home.
A collective gasp came from the crowd as Finn stared down at the sword that had impaled him.
“Didn’t think you had it in you,” he rasped, blood gurgling from his lips.
“You didn’t give me a choice.”
Finn’s eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the floor.
A moment of stunned silence swept the deck before Xander came and stood beside William over Finn’s dead body. He looked down at the corpse and spat on it.
Another man came and stood beside Xander doing the same thing. Another came, and another, all of them spitting on the man who had abused them.
Finally, when everyone had had their moment of gratification, they picked up the body and tossed it overboard.
“Bastard doesn’t deserve a decent funeral.” One man muttered.
“Amen.” Another added.
Xander wrapped an arm around William’s shoulder, steering him back towards the sleeping quarters.
“I killed him,” William whispered.
“You had no choice,” Xander replied. “Come on, let’s get that wound looked at.”
They were halfway across the deck when a young boy stepped in front of them.
“The Captain wants to see you. Right away.”
Part 5
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Date: 2007-03-10 12:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-10 12:30 pm (UTC)